“Bland, you come back here!” Bland came.  “What do you mean, trying to avoid answering a perfectly civil question?”

“I did answer it,” Bland protested in his whining tone.  “I said I didn’t know—­”

“That’s no answer; that’s nothing but a plain old lie.  You do know perfectly well where he is.  You left Tucson with Johnny, and you left Yuma with him.  Bland Halliday, what have you done with him?”

Bland’s eyes turned slightly glassy.  Like a trapped animal, he sent roving glances here and there—­and took in the purposeful approach of the traffic cop.  He turned again toward the curb.

“Don’t you dare attempt to leave before—­”

“What’s the matter here?  What you blocking traffic for?  Don’t you know I can—­”

“Oh!  Am I in the way here?  I shall move immediately, of course.  Thank you so much!  It’s really no trouble at all, and I’m tremendously sorry if I have inconvenienced you or the general public any.  I believe you are really glad, down deep in your heart, when somebody gives you an excuse to leave that horrid little square spot for a minute.  Don’t you nearly go wild, having to—­Bland!  What are you standing there holding up traffic for?  Get in!”

Looking completely dazed and helpless, Bland got in.

“Now we’re all ready, Mr. Policeman.  Run along back and point the herd again before all the nice little tame Fords get walked on.  I hear one squalling now.  And thank you so much.”

Mary V let in the clutch.  The Bear Cat slid out across the street, scattering pedestrians and jeopardizing wheels and fenders as it ducked past them.  The traffic cop stood still for a minute, rubbing his chin vaguely and staring after Mary V. Then he went back to his post, grinning and frowning—­which gave him a strange, complex expression.

“Aw, say, Miss Selmer—­”

“Will you be quiet?  Haven’t you done harm enough, for gracious sake?  Aren’t you satisfied with getting me almost put in jail innocently?  If you had told me at once where Johnny is, I’d be miles away by now.  But no—­you hold up traffic trying to deceive me, and I almost get pinched.  I should think you’d be ashamed.  Where is Johnny?  If you have done anything to him, Bland Halliday, I’ll—­hang you!”

“I been telling yuh all I know about it.  I don’t know where he is, and I don’t know where the plane is.  They’re both of ’em gone, and that’s Gawd’s truth, Miss Selmer.  Last I seen of Johnny he was goin’ in the Alexandria.  He said he was going to stop there.  He registered all right—­I seen his name.  He stayed all night, and he was gone the next day when I went after him.  And the plane’s gone, I been out there, and I can’t find so much as a sign of it.  And that was three weeks ago.  And you kin hang me till I’m dead, but I can’t tell nothin’ more.  Don’t yuh spose I want to know where’s he at?”

“Well—­” Mary V crossed the path of a street car, leaving the motorman shivering while he stood on the bell that clamored wildly.  “Maybe you are telling the truth—­but I doubt it.”  They were across Figueroa Street and speeding out toward Westlake.  The Bear Cat was breaking the speed law, and Mary V had no time to say more.